This beautiful old lantern hangs in the entryway of the historic Patio del Moro apartment complex in West Hollywood.

The apartment complex was completed in 1925 and designed by Arthur and Nina Zwebell. It was the their third of this type of housing architecture. There is a heavily Moorish theme seen here, which was very popular in the Los Angeles area during this period.

In those days, housing in West Hollywood was fairly inexpensive, and with so-called “restricted” housing laws in force at that time, people of certain ethnic and work backgrounds were unable to live in the more “posh” sections of Los Angeles County. This backwards attitude ultimately helped to create one of the most creative and tolerant communities in this country.

I must say that I find it more than a little ironic that West Hollywood has gone from those early days of inexpensive housing to being one of the most expensive neighborhoods in all of Los Angeles County.

But even with the precipitous rise in property values, West Hollywood has never lost its open and accepting nature.